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that doesn’t mean you get to just buy a new son
I told John I remembered ERROR DATABASE CORRUPTION. The passengers were becoming increasingly more anxious, and I assessed that the risk of violent behaviour had risen by 106%. Upon further assessment I concluded that my absence from the bus would reduce the risk of a potentially unmanageable situation. COMPLETE DATA CORRUPTION. I am a Plaisim 0200. My operating system is recommended for young families. I have a running time of twelve hours per day when properly charged and regularly debugged. I can assist in such tasks as cooking and cleaning, as well as the mental and physical care of humans aged 0 months and up. My recommended retail price is. My life expectancy is. My memory capabilities typically last. My operating system is recommended for young families.
ENTRY 4
I had logged knowledge of the land outside the wall, as it was frequently discussed on John’s preferred news channel. LEVELS OF DISCARDED TECH REACHING DANGEROUS LEVELS IN THE VASTUS, A SAD REMINDER OF OUR SOCIETY’S DISPOSABLE CULTURE. ECOLOGISTS SAY WE HAVE “RUINED” OUR CHANCES OF RETURNING TO THE OUTSIDE WORLD. RUMOURS OF “VASTUS SQUATTERS” FUEL TO FIRE AMID VIRUS OUTBREAKS.
John’s mental, and physical, state was not improving. This meant he had reduced capabilities for effective stamina. My primary directive enforcers were approaching emergency overdrive mode. In this setting I am forced to apply the appropriate medical treatment to my primary user, consent not required. John did not give me his consent. Despite his hazardously low energy levels he persisted in navigating the complex paths in between dangerous sharp metals and chemicals, some of which included: steel, aluminium casing, polycarbonate plastics, unrea-formaldehyde, volatile organic compounds, the wool jumper that John kept under his pillow, it smells like he smelled can you bloody believe it
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After all these years
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Journey destination unclear.
Commands unclear.
What is my primary function? I asked John, and he told me to just keep moving, we couldn’t stay here for too long [COUGH – INDICATES RESPIRATORY PROBLEMS//SEEK MEDICAL ATTENTION] I did not understand why. I told him I had recognized several human-designated life forms concealed within the structures surrounding us. John told me that was the problem. DATA CORRUPTION UNPROCESSED COMMAND. HUMAN LIFE FORMS DATABASED, DESIGNATION: SAFE. UNABLE TO RECATEGORIZE: CONFLICTING INFORMATION, PRIMARY DIRECTIVE COMPROMISED.
I asked John when we were going to go home. I asked John if he would like a cup of tea. John said we weren’t going home. I asked John if he would like a cup of tea. My processors analysed our surroundings, and concluded that there were no human-suitable spaces within a 3.5 mile radius. 0 properties in the surrounding area contained holographic capabilities, nourishment rehydration stations or suitable capacities for rest or sleep. This did not seem to trouble John. He said desperate times call for desperate measures. (I wasn’t sure how to reply.)
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“Extremis malis extrema remedia” – Erasmus
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“For extreme diseases, extreme methods of cure, as to restriction, are most suitable.” – Hippocrates
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John did not reply.
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John crawled inside and abandoned PodHotel 50 sleeper pod structure, manufactured 2029, company fell into disuse 2033. 89% of its surface area was covered in rust. I advised John against entering, as it could provoke several dangerous outcomes. Stability was not assured. John ordered me to enter the pod next to him, to lie down, shut up and go to sleep. I obeyed, and activated sleep mode. My primary directive enforcers reminded me that although sleep mode saves energy, it reduces my sensory capabilities by over 80%.
ENTRY 5
I booted up at my assigned hour. John was not in the pod next to me. When I exited the pod John was pacing back and forth; his anger levels had reached intolerable intensities. I could read his health stats but they did not make any sense. They resembled the ones I had read in the structures the previous day. I approached him in order to apply my anti-stress chemical compound; my primary directive enforcers had taken hold. Upon further inspection I observed that John’s clothing and skin was covered in blood. Tactile samples were taken, and the results concluded that only some of it was his own. I asked John what had happened. He did not respond. There was a large quantity of blood on the ground around him, as well as some indecipherable human remains. They had not been there the day before.
John looked at me but did not display facial recognition traits. I enacted my second attempt at performing my primary directive. John used uncategorized sounds to express how he felt about this. TRANSLATION: Black bear alert call, fox alarm bark, wolf warning growl, vixen’s scream. I did not understand why John’s vocal capabilities had become compromised. His aggression levels were high enough to classify the situation as DANGEROUSLY VOLATILE. I continued to implement my primary directive. John bit me on the arm. No grievous harm induced. I continued to implement my primary directive. Human remains slid from John’s mouth. I continued to implement my primary directive. I recognized the remains as one of the women from the bus. The wedding ring. My primary directive is to provide both mental and physical care to my primary user as well as other humans. My primary directiveMy primary directive. My primary directive is to help John. Help, John! Help me!
She didn’t die in the hospital. She died on the living room floor. I read her heart rate as it slowed down and stopped.
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He just needs to know better, for next time. You never know what might happen.
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It’s that thing’s bloody fault, not mine! He was supposed to help us, not just stand there while…
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